UFC 142 Preview & Predictions: Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater

Erick Silva is a Brazilian welterweight with an array of skills. He’s a black belt in both jiu-jitsu and judo and has seven submissions out of his thirteen career wins. But it was Silva’s striking game that earned him a win over Luis Ramos in his UFC debut during the promotion’s last trip to Brazil in August. Silva looked like a legitmate future title contender in that fight.

Carlo Prater is a veteran fighter, with forty total fights in a career dating back to 2002. A black belt in jiu-jitsu and a brown belt in judo, Prater made several losing appearances for the WEC, but this is his first trip into the UFC’s Octagon. He took the fight on short notice when Siyar Bahadurzada was injured in training.

This is a bad matchup for Prater. Silva is better in just about every area of the game. He’s younger and he’s stronger, and this is a chance for him to showcase his considerable skills against an overmatched opponent.